The Riverside Fire Department operates a USAR task force. In addition to a responsibility to respond to local disasters in Riverside, the task force has a contract with the Federal Emergency Management Agency or FEMA, to respond to disasters throughout the United States when requested.The City of Riverside's task force is referred to as California Task Force Six (CA-TF6). Members of our CA-TF6 have been deployed to numerous federal emergencies over the years. Some of the previous deployments of our personnel include the bombing of the federal building in Oklahoma City, the earthquake in Northridge, the 9-11 plane crashes at the World Trade Center in New York City as well as Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans.

Riverside's CA-TF6 also includes members of some of our neighboring fire agencies that have specialized knowledge and training. The other participating fire agencies are Corona, Hemet, Murrieta, Newport Beach, Norco, Pechanga, and Riverside County Fire Departments. The team also includes non-fire service civilians with specialties that are necessary to complete our missions. The civilian members have special skills including structural engineers, medical doctors, search dogs and handlers, and heavy rigging specialists.

TECHNICAL RESCUE TEAM

Our Magnolia Center Station houses our Technical Rescue Team. These firefighters have additional training and experience to perform very complex rescues when called upon. They cross-staff our heavy rescue vehicle which is loaded with the latest equipment for cutting through and hoisting up the heaviest of material. It is outfitted for confined space rescues and rappelling equipment to reach people trapped?in just about?any predicament.

SWIFTWATER RESCUE TEAM

Our Swiftwater Rescue Team is operated in partnership with the Governor's Office of Emergency Services,? more commonly referred to as OES. The team and their equipment can respond in a timely?manner anywhere within the city. Riverside's proximity to the Santa Ana River makes concern about water safety a priority. The team is fully equipped and?includes rescue boats which can be deployed when necessary. The team has also been called upon to help other communities, having travelled to Temecula and Sacramento for flooding, as well as New Orleans for Hurricane Katrina.